This application incorporates by reference Taiwanese application Ser. No. 90202276, Filed Feb. 15, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a mobile phone display unit, and more particularly to a slidably detachable mobile phone display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the busy communication between people, the mobile phone has become an indispensable communication tool for modern people. Through it, people can conveniently communicate with each other no matter wherever they are or whenever they want to. In the pursuit of fashion, the users desire that their mobile phones are conspicuous and different from that of others"". Mobile phone outer coverings of varied patterns have been designed to satisfy users"" needs and preferences.
Please referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a conventional folding-type mobile phone is illustrated. In FIG. 1, the mobile phone 100 includes an operation base 102 and a display unit 104. The display unit 104, being connected to the operation base 102 through a joint device (not shown in the diagram), can be closed to the base unit 102 or be opened from it. The user inputs signals via the keypad 106 of the base unit 102. The display unit 104 further includes an upper covering member 108, a lower covering member 110 and a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 112, which is used to display the status and information of the mobile phone 100. Of which, the click-and-hook joint mechanism is a commonly used joint mechanism which tightly joints the upper covering member 108 and the lower covering member 110 together. The two covering members 108 and 110 are therefore tightly fastened together with joint marks 114 lying between them, forming the outer covering 109 with the LCD 112 enclosed inside it. In addition, there is a window 108 lying in the upper covering member 108, which covers the LCD 112.
In circumstances when the users want to replace the outer covering, or when parts of the circuits of the display unit 104 are damaged or the LCD 112 is out of order, normally the users need to take apart the upper and lower covering members 108 and 110 first before they can replace the outer covering or fix up the damaged circuits of the display unit 104. In order to replace the outer covering 109, i.e., the upper covering member 108 and the lower covering member 110 of the display unit 104, the users always need to take apart the mechanic parts of the click-and-hook joint mechanism using a screwdriver. In case the outer covering 109 is damaged after being taken apart, a new one is required to enclose the internal parts of the display unit 109 wasting both time and money. Besides, the LCD 112, which is enclosed within the outer covering 109, is just sandwiched between the upper covering member 108 and the lower covering member 110. Since the upper covering member 108 and the lower covering member 110 are normally made of fragile solid materials which can hardly support and protect the LCD 112 from hits of external sources. In terms of outlooks, the joint marks 114, which lie between the upper covering member 108 and the lower covering member 110, spoil the integral beauty of the mobile phone 100.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a slidably detachable mobile phone display unit with its outer covering and frame being designed in such a way that the outer covering can be detached from the frame directly and the replacement of the outer covering can be done thereby. As for the frame, its hard and strong structure protects and supports the LCD; and its features of being small, thin and light facilitate the convenience of portability for the users. The seamless outer covering without any joint marks features the integral beauty of the mobile phone.
A slidably detachable mobile phone display unit including a frame and an outer covering is provided according to the object of the invention. The frame has a chamber into which a display panel is fixed. The outer covering and the frame are jointed together in a slidably detachable way.
In addition, a slidably detachable mobile phone display unit including a frame, an outer covering and screws is provided. The frame has tooling holes and a chamber into which a display panel is fixed. The outer covering has openings and screw holes; it joints with the frame in a slidably detachable way and exposes the display panel through the openings. Besides, the screws, passing through the screw holes, are screwed into the tooling holes to fix the frame and the outer covering together.